Rapist who fled court handed an extra six months in jail

Bradley Tout eventually handed himself in after causing chaos at Worcester Crown Court on October 3.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

Worcester Crown Court

A rapist who fled from court moments after being found guilty has been handed an extra six months in custody.

Bradley Tout caused chaos at Worcester Crown Court by jumping the dock on October 3 – and was “long gone” by the time a security worker apparently tripped and was injured during efforts to find him.

Tout, 20, who handed himself in four days later to begin serving a seven-and-a-half year sentence for rape, pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge of escaping from lawful custody.

Sentencing Tout, who appeared in court via a prison video link, Judge James Tindal said the 20-year-old had exhibited “panic and, bluntly, cowardice” as he ran from court.

The judge told Tout, of Durham Road, Ronkswood, Worcester: “Whatever was going through your mind as the jury reached their verdict, ultimately you have to have responsibility for what you did.

“I accept this was never a planned escape. You were standing there, blithely expecting the jury to say ‘not guilty’ when they said ‘guilty’.

“In the heat of the moment you bolted, you ran, you caused chaos in the court building and it may well be someone tripped and fell in the aftermath of it.”

Bradley Tout (West Mercia Police/PA)

Advertising

Imposing a six-month consecutive sentence for the escape offence, the judge added: “There has been a furore about this case, Mr Tout – a furore which is regrettable and obscures the seriousness of the original offence.

“I give you full credit for your plea and the fact that you handed yourself in after fours days, knowing full well that you would be going to prison for a very long time indeed.”

Prosecutor Paul Whitfield said Tout – who had been convicted of raping a vulnerable teenage girl – jumped from the dock as the judge was in the process of remanding him in custody.

Telling the court that police had not incurred any significant expenditure during Tout’s four days on the run, Mr Whitfield added: “There was a short chase but he was not detained.

Advertising

“He came eventually with his parents to the police station and handed himself in.

“When interviewed, he said he considered he was innocent. He had been in turmoil and said he had reacted to what was unfolding in front of him.”

The court was told news reports had wrongly suggested a security worker was assaulted during the escape.

Defence counsel Abigail Nixon said: “That was reported in the press and it was wrong. Nobody got anywhere close to catching him – he was long gone before the security staff went after him.”